Caramel Coffee and Hot Chocolate
by NonStopIsBack
Summary: After a trip to Starbucks, the truth comes out. One-Shot.


Dan looked straight ahead, determined to get to the Starbucks before it closed. However, his need for coffee would've had to have been stronger for him to even consider running. He marched quickly, causing Phil to start lightly jogging to catch up.

"Dan, slow down! It doesn't close for another half an hour and the walk is only five more minutes," Phil called, trying to make his voice heard over the noise of a passing car.

It was strange. Normally, the London street would've been bustling with traffic, but only a couple of cars had driven by whilst the two were walking. The quiet was actually sort of relaxing, and Dan relished in the sound of his and Phil's soft footsteps. It was moments like these where he realized he was quite happy with how his life was headed, believe it or not. Phil continued to follow his friend in silence, watching Dan's soft smile fade in and out in rhythm with the brunette's thoughts.

It was Dan who then spoke first. "Here we are! Finally, that walk took forever." He grinned at the slightly shorter man beside him before holding the door open.

They walked inside together, stepping up to the counter. They both ordered, Dan's being a caramel latte, Phil's being a hot chocolate with whipped cream. They sat down at the window and watched together as it started to rain. Dan saw Phil's eyes grew softer and more distant, the blue irises staring into the typical British downpour. Phil hadn't heard their names being called, nor had he noticed Dan getting up with a soft chuckle and returning a moment later with their drinks. Dan's voice, however, managed to bring him back to reality.

"Oi, are you just going to sit there and let your cocoa get cold, or can I drink it?" Dan's cheeky grin was disorienting, Phil still stuck halfway in his own thoughts.

He mumbled something incoherent, picking up the warm and wonderfully sweet beverage and bringing it to his lips. Dan's brow furrowed, but he avoided a very obvious question in a guess that Phil would be uncomfortable if he asked. They sat in familiar silence as they finished their drinks, and after a couple of minutes of Phil merely staring into space, Dan could practically feel the barista's gaze drilling into the two.

"Come on," he said softly, shaking Phil's shoulder slightly, "we should get out so that they can close up."

Phil nodded absently, his mind still buzzing. The rain was still pouring down, falling on them in sheets as they walked further down the pavement, the droplets the only noise in the heavy London air. Dan bit his lip anxiously, now suddenly sick of the silence he had recently cherished. The older of the two sighed audibly, shaking his head at no one in particular. It was then that Dan had decided to speak up.

"What, are you stuck in your own little world over there?"

Phil seemed to barely register Dan's words, giving a quick nod before returning to his mind.

"Well, come on then, snap out of it," Dan mumbled. Surprisingly, Phil did.

"Sorry," he said sheepishly, "guess I got a little out of sorts."

Dan smiled sympathetically. "I get it. So, Phil," he said, his tone now a bit more jovial, "care to tell me what was in your little mind world?"

"Us," Phil said, appearing to not have registered what he had said.

"What?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing," he added quickly.

"You definitely said something," Dan groaned, "just spit it out already. God, Lester, you and your obsession with telling me 'it's nothing' has got to come to a stop."

"Really, Dan, it doesn't matter," Phil said quietly.

"Phil," Dan sighed, dragging out the vowel with a whine, "you have to learn that what you say does matter, and that I care about it. Even if it's stupid."

"This actually doesn't, though," Phil argued. "It was dumb of me to even say anything. Just forget it."

Dan frowned slightly. Phil had never bickered with him after Dan reminding him that his opinion meant something. He always just...said what he needed to say and moved on. It wasn't like him to insist Dan forget his words. "Hey, are you alright?"

"What of it," Phil grumbled, a hint of anger in his voice.

Dan considered backing off, but he knew he was far too concerned at this point to start surrendering now. "Phil, I'm serious. You're starting to worry me. What's going on with you?"

"You know what? Just drop it," Phil grunted flatly, speeding his pace as he walked towards their flat.

Dan was starting to get frustrated. "Phil! Get back here, we're not done talking about this," he nearly shouted.

"Yes, we are," Phil called back, not bothering to look at Dan as the latter started to catch up to him.

"You're being impossible," Dan grumbled, just barely loud enough for Phil to hear.

Phil stopped dead in his tracks. "I'm being impossible?" His voice was deadly quiet.

"Well, yeah," Dan said, slightly frightened at his friend's tone. He had never heard Phil talk like this. "You're obviously upset by something. Talk to me, tell me what's going on."

"I'm fine," Phil said. He turned around, his voice now thick with fake sweetness as an even faker (if possible) smile appeared on his features. "I'm kind of stressed, but other than that, I'm fine."

"What's stressing you out then?" Dan asked, exasperated. "Just talk to me about it. You'll feel better, you spork."

"Look, Dan, I appreciate it, but you're literally the one person who can't help me with this issue," Phil said, the sweetness disappearing as fast as it had come, replaced by a slight sadness.

"What's the issue then?!"

"It's you, dammit!" Phil had said it with his eyes closed and his fists clenched. As soon as he had, though, he relaxed.

Dan's eyes widened, taken aback. "M-Me? Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry," he whispered.

"No, that's not what I...it's just that," Phil struggled to find the phrase, "I'm just feeling conflicted right now, okay?"

"Can't you just tell me instead of trying to dance around the problem?" Dan asked desperately, his hands on his hips.

"Well, I like someone."

"Seriously? That's it?" Dan's face had gone stone cold. "That's what you were so upset over?"

"Y-Yes," Phil stuttered, his cheeks turning slightly pink.

Dan let go of his frustration as a smile appeared on his face, followed by a hint of confusion. "Hey, that's cool, I'm happy for you! But I don't see how it has something to do with me."

Phil chuckled nervously, running a hand through his fringe. "Wow, you really are oblivious."

Phil waited for the bomb to hit. Dan paused for a moment, visibly putting two and two together in his mind. Phil winced as Dan's eyes widened yet again. "Wait, are you…are you saying…"

Phil smiled uncertainly, biting his lip. "I, er, hope it's not too strange. I'm really sorry."

Dan blinked slowly, his mouth slightly open as he struggled to find words. "Y-you don't have to be sorry," he managed to say, still shocked. "I mean, it's how you f-feel, isn't it? You can't exactly help it."

Phil's face fell a bit. "Yeah, I suppose."

"I...I thought you were straight though," Dan said, more to himself than Phil.

"Are you mad?" Phil asked. He didn't know what to expect.

"What? I-no, of course not!" Dan said quickly, shaking his head. "Phil, how could I be mad at you?"

"I dunno," Phil mumbled. "I'm sorry."

Dan shook his head again. "Don't be," he said softly. He took a couple steps towards Phil, a quiet smile on his face.

"D-Dan?"

"Yeah?" Dan asked nonchalantly, still moving towards Phil.

"Where do we go from here?"

Dan froze for a moment. "What do you mean?"

"I...you haven't...erm, well, what do we do?" Phil looked down at the ground, his mind screaming at him to stop talking, his mouth disobeying.

"I mean, I just assumed that since you like me and I like you, we could just keep going like this, maybe add a little extra movie night in here and there," Dan said simply.

"Wha-why didn't you say that, you bloody twat?!" Phil shouted, his eyes wide.

"Say what?"

"Say that you liked me too!"

"I didn't?"

Dan took a step forward, now directly in front of Phil, who could now see every effect the rain had on Dan; from his now wavy hair attached and contrasting to his pale skin, his eyes shining with some emotion Phil couldn't have put into words if he had tried, his wet, black t-shirt clinging to his tall, lanky body. Phil gulped, the inch of height difference suddenly five hundred times more intimidating than before, if it had ever been. Dan shuddered. Perhaps it was the effect of the cold rain dripping down his face and back, or perhaps it was just the way Phil's blue eyes shone brightly with a mixture of fear, anticipation, and hope that made him shake. Hesitating slightly, Dan spoke.

"How long?"

"S-Sorry?"

"How long have you felt like this?"

Dan's low voice and slightly excited tone made Phil drawn into his beautiful brown eyes further with a mix of emotions he knew was shining in his own. "A while?"

"And how long," Dan asked, bringing his face ever-so-slightly closer to Phil's, "is a while?"

"Er, a couple years now," Phil mumbled sheepishly. "A-And you?"

"Same here. Oh, and Phil?"

"Y-Yes?" Phil asked quietly, Dan's face now only centimeters from his own.

Dan let Phil's words meet the sounds of the rain falling before he spoke. "Maybe we should tell each other these things sooner, yeah?"

Phil nodded eagerly; he could smell the caramel flavoring mixing in with the caffeine smell as Dan moved slightly closer. Dan cupped Phil's cheek, his hand resting gently on the latter's porcelain skin. They stayed like that for a moment, both slightly afraid to move and make the other uncomfortable.

"Hey, Phil?"

Their eyes met.

"Would it be alright if I kissed you?"

Dan knew the answer already.


End file.
